


In Good Times And In Bad

by ready_to_kick_some_ass



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, Caring John, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Protective John, Short One Shot, Withdrawal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 06:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8738320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ready_to_kick_some_ass/pseuds/ready_to_kick_some_ass
Summary: Sherlock withdraws. John stays with him.





	

John is tired.  
He is more tired than he has ever been before in his life.  
The exhaustion has crawled into every inch of his body.  
He lays in the bed, his arms around Sherlock’s trembling, sweaty body and listens to his hectical, painful wheezing.

He wasn’t expecting _that._

Of course, he had been warned when he announced that he would help Sherlock through withdrawal. After the whole disaster with Mary and Moriarty was over. After all they have been through, he wouldn’t allow Sherlock to be treated by some strangers. He was sure, he could do it, altough Mycroft and Greg had warned him many times.  
_He’s going to be different,_ they have said. _He might insult you. Hurt you. And it’s unbearable to see someone suffering through withdrawal, John.  
_

And they were right. _  
_

It started with fever and nausea.  
Sickness and feebleness.  
This was the easiest part of it.  
But then Sherlock started to get angry and bad tempered.  
And finally, John stood before a pale and miserable Sherlock, who demanded to leave the flat.

And it was damn frightening.

“Let me out,” Sherlock growled.  
“No,” John said and shook his head. “No, I won’t. We’re nearly there, Sherlock.”  
“Why do you care anyway?” Sherlock spat. “My life is none of your business. Now go away and leave me alone!”  
“No.”  
“Get out of my way!”  
“No.”  
And in the next moment Sherlock attacked him with an angry scream.  
He wasn’t very strong, because of his weakened state, but he managed to punch John in the face and he left a bruise right under John’s eye.  
John pinned Sherlock to the ground and after a few minutes of bitter fighting, Sherlock stilled and started to cry.

It was the only time that Sherlock tried to attack John.

And now, there’s only sweat, vomit and weakness.  
Sherlock can’t do much more than lying flat on his back and roll over from time to time, when the nausea takes over.  
And every time, John is there, to soothe and comfort him.

“Why are you still here,” Sherlock murmurs at one point. “Why …”  
“I’m not going to answer that question,” John says grimly and wipes a flannel over Sherlock’s sweaty forhead “You know the answer.”  
“But I hurt you …”  
“You’re not yourself. And it wasn’t that bad. Now hush. You need rest.”

The next days are even more horrible.  
The fever rises and Sherlock gets weaker.  
He slips in and out of consciousness.

Sometimes he talks. And John discovers so much in those moments.  
It’s like he’s seeing inside Sherlock’s mind. Without his usual mask.  
And it’s scary and painful.

...

“It hurts John.”  
“I know. It will be over soon. Here, take my hand. You can squeeze it as hard as you want. I don’t mind.”

...

“John! It’s him, it’s Moriarty, he wants to take you away from me again …”  
“It’s just the hallucinations, love. I’m here. I will always be here.”

…

“Please don’t leave me, John.”  
“I won’t.”  
“Everybody always leaves …”  
“I’m not everybody, Sherlock.”

…

“I’m so sorry, John … Please forgive me.”  
“You don’t have to apologize.”  
“I don’t deserve you. I’m worthless …”  
“Don’t talk like this. You’re the best human being I know. Don’t you remember what I said at your grave?”

…

“I love you John …”  
”I love you too.”

…

When it’s finally over, they see each other in a different light.

The first thing John does, is sleep. He sleeps for 10 hours, and when he wakes up, he can smell tea and toast.  
  
Sherlock is in the kitchen, distributing scrambled eggs onto two plates.  
When John enters, he looks up and they stare at each other in silence for a moment.  
Then Sherlock quietly says, “Thank you.”  
John knows what this means. He smiles warmly. “You’re very welcome.“

They eat together, outside the sun is shining and John feels like a new era has begun.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit me on [Tumblr](http://currently-in-my-mind-palace.tumblr.com/) for more ;)  
> Beta: [bakerstreet-irregular](http://bakerstreet-irregular.tumblr.com/)


End file.
